Trophy dream suffers a double blow

Cambuslang Rangers assistant boss Billy Campbell admits winning the division has become“extremely difficult”after their hopes were dented with two defeats on the bounce.

After Petershill’s convincing win at Somervell last Wednesday, all hopes of re-mounting a title charge were scuppered as nine-man Rangers fell to a 1-0 loss on the Ayrshire coast.

Ross McKinnon picked up a second booking for a dive in the box before Alex McWaters bundled over the only goal of the game on 59 minutes.

Craig Molloy saw red for allegedly pulling the hair of Largs’Nicky Jamieson and Martin Orr was also sent off for a cynical foul on Lang striker Chris Duff.

A frustrated Campbell said: “It’s been a tough week. It makes it extremely difficult [to win the league], we were trying to take something from the games to keep us in the race.

“All is not lost but the defeat on Saturday doesn’t help our aspirations.

“There is enough games there to ensure we keep pushing for promotion and the players are extra focused on the task at hand.

“My view is it is still in our own hands and we hope to capitalise on that.

“The result was a fair reflection of the game on Wednesday, Petershill thoroughly deserved to win it. We just never got going.

“In the Largs game, they probably just shaded it but we dealt well with the corners and long throw-ins into the box and Dale Simeon has went close on a couple of occasions.

“Then there is the two sending offs. These are experienced players who should know better. Ross said he was on his way down before the boy caught him and he’s given the referee a decision to make. He said he knew from the referee’s position that it could have looked like a dive.”

Commenting on Molloy’s red card, Campbell added:“It was a moment of madness from Craig. He’s jumped up and whether he’s pulled him back or put his hands up I don’t know. But he has got to know better.”

Campbell admits Lang have been handed a tough run-in over a two week period but they’ll take one game at a time. He said:“This Wednesday we have Kilsyth who had another good result against Troon at the weekend. They are unbeaten in six.

“The derby [against Glencairn on Monday] means a lot to both sides but we see Kilsyth as more important in that they are the next game.”